Running-board support for use on automobiles.



W. S. SCHUYLER.

A RUNNING BOARD SUPPORT FOR-USE 0N ATOMOBILES.

` APPLlcmoN man MAY21.1916.

1,215,721. A Patented ,Feb. 13,1917..

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WILToN sUMNERscnUYLnn, or savannas, Mrss'nnr.

RUNNING-BOARD SUPPORT FOR USE` ON UTFLVIGBILES.

4 Specification of Letters yatent.

atented Feb. 13, 1.91?.

4Application led May 2 7, 1916. Serial No. 100,290.

'5 drew and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Running-Board Supports for Use on Automobiles, of which the following is a speciiication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to improvements in that class of supports, which are used for supporting the running board of automobiles, and the objects of my improvements are, first; to provide a simple, substantial, durable and eiieient support of this class, which can readily be attached to the ordinary automobile, now generally inV use, without drilling holes in, or otherwise mutisecond; to so construct a support of this "class and adjusting means therefor, that said Support acts as a tie bar, for tying the longitudinal rails of an automobile and its running. boards together, under strain, thereby holdingsaid boards and their connected parts, against vibration and consequent rattling, third; to so construct said support that it shall be cheap in cost of manufacture, extremely strong and light of weight.

I attain these objects by the devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective View of the support, with certain parts of an automobile indicated by dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged end View of the sup'- port. Fig. 3 is an enlarged bottom View in perspective, of one of the supporting blocks. Figs. 4 and 5 are side elevations of the trussing devices, showing two of the other various forms in which lthe truss adjusting means may be` constructed.

,Referring to Fig. 1, my invention, in itsi -5 preferred form, comprises the bar 1, preferably made of angle steel.v Said bar is of such proportions that it is adapted to be suspended beneath the chassis of an auto# mobile, transversely thereto, with its end o portions beneath the hereinafter described running boards of said vehicle.

Referring to Fig. 3, blocks 2 have grooves.' 12 formed in their bottom surfaces, said grooves being of such proportions, that they it the ends of bai- 1, for preventing lateral movement of said blocks on said bar, while lating any of the parts ofsaid automobile,

' the hereinafter Idescribed running board flanges engage the upper portions of said blocks and hold them against longitudinal movement.

Since the rod supporting and bracing means of both ends of bar 1 are the same in construction and operation, but one of said rod supporting and bracing means is described.

The lower endl of rod 3 is passed through an aperture in bar l, (see Fig. 1,) and is adjustably secured therein, by nuts 3 and 3".

Said rod has the 1-wrizontally extended portion 4f, formed therewith, and the inclined rod portion 5 formed as an extension of said horizontal portion, forming one continuous rod. Said inclined portion extends downwardly and outwardly from said horizontal portion, with its lower end passed through an aperture in bar 1. Said lower end is adjustably secured in place lby nuts v" Said rodvportion 4 is 'adapted to rest o upon the top surface of rail y6, .of the chassis of an automobile, while the adyacent parts of rod portions 3 and 5 engage the edges of said rail and prevent lateral movement of said rod portions.

Runnin-g board 7 has downwardly projecting flanges 7 formed on the longitudinal edges thereof, between which the upper portion of block 2 is held against lcngitu-- dinal movement on bar 1.

Said running board is supported by brackets 8, of which but one is shown. The upper ends of said brackets are secured in rail 6, while thelower ends, (not shown), are secured inl the, usual manner to running board 7. The iower ends of oppositely situ* ated brackets are tied together by tie rod 8.

In installation, said continuous rod, formed of portions 3, l and 5, is removed from bar 1, and placed in the position shown, and. secured in place in bar 1 by nuts 5', screwed onto the lower end of rod portion' 5, with block 2 in the position shown.

Bar 1 is further secured by screwing nuts 3 onto the lower end of rod portion 3, after which .nuts 5 are again screwed upward, thereby raising the end ofbar 1, and the thereon carried block 2, until said block is pressed against running board 7, with thedesired pressure. 'Nuts 3. and 3 are thentransferred to brackets 8, tightly holding all of the invoived parts, and that the rod portion 5 is under tensile strain, While the. in- Y terme-diete portion of bar l is under a thrusting pressure. lt w'il be further unders-toed that the above described tension and strain o12 the described ports, hofrds uli of said ports against vibration and Consel quent rattling, und that running board 7 is substantially held against sagging.

While l have shown and described nuts es the adjusting means for adjusting' the tension of rod portion 5, it is evident that variously formed adjusting ineens vfor said rod portion could be used und that said red couid be correspondingl v modified, Without departing troni the spirit 'of my invention, which I reserve the right to do.

One ol suchl other 1mrious forins of ndjusting means and rod portions is shown in Fig. el, in which rod portion is formed ot two pieces and has head 5" foune-d on its loner end. The parts o' seid rod portion are adjustably connected by turnbucirle i0.

Since ell of the other ports are the saine in construction and operution, :is the. previously described parts, seen in l; seid other p: .rts are siniilurijy' o. signrited find .turl ther description of them is deemed unnecesary.

In the other form of rod rdliusting ineens and rod poi-tions, shown in 53, the Vverti cal rod portion $5 screwl iresuled from its lower end throughout the greater portion of its length. Hook i fori-ned on the upper end of said rod `portion; said hook being adapted to rest upon und n longi tudinal chassis ruil, (not showin) of in nutomobiie.

Inclined rod ll has heed 1i formed on its lower end below bnr lT and un eye formed through its upper end, through which the screw threaded portion et rod 3 is passed,

The tension ot rod l is adjusted us desire-d, by screwing nut l2 on rod for tightening and loosenin" said tension. Said adjustment is permitted by screwing nut l2 upward on rod 3, and is tightly secured by screwing the lost mentioned nut do\\'n,vnrd,

upon rod ll. Since all of the undescribed parte. of this forni are the saine in construction und operation as the previously described parte seen in Fig'. l, suid undeseribed parts are similarly designated, und further description is deemed unnecessary.

` Having; 'fully described my invention, what l claim :is new. and desire to secure by .Letters Patent is :Me

1 In n support oi' the class described, a bur extending transrerseljvY beneath the chassis of en automobile the end portions of Suid ber being extended beneath the running' boards of seid automobile; a block on each one of said end portions oi" said bar, said blocks being' adapted to be held by seid running bonrds against longitudinal inoveinent on said bri-r, the bottoni surfaces or" blocks having ejrooves formed therein for engaging seid Eour und holding said, blocks :against trzfinsverse movement thereon; suspendin n' uns whereby Said bnr is suspended from seid chassis; adjusting ineens on said suspending means whereby said ber is adjusted for maintaining the suine in olinenient: inciined braces limiting their .ends con nected ith seid sizspending ineens :ind bnr resgee und Grece ud]\\st.ng ineens \\'liereb v the tensions ot' said braces are adju ,ed for tiglniy pressing said bioelis guinst seid running boards,

ln testimony whereof l a''lix iny signature in the presence oi"- tu'o Witnesses.

VILTON SUit'iilR SCHUYLER. Vfitnesses Jenn 5. }(i\'i )u J. Gramer. 

